Thankful for Our People

Thanksgiving is not the holiest of holidays, yet in many ways it may be the most enjoyable. We are not caught up in the rush to purchase presents and cards and worrying about whether it is “good enough” or whom we may have overlooked.

Thanksgiving is about gratitude, and gratitude is a true gift – to others as well as to our self.

Gratitude helps us slow down and be centered on our values.

This is a wonderful time to be appreciative of our family and friends – and also to be grateful for our team members, really everyone with whom we work. As leaders, this is an opportunity to speak with everyone on our team and other colleagues, and I mean everyone, from those who help keep our workplace clean, to those who greet guests when they arrive, answer our phones, really everyone in our office and elsewhere in our company.

We all want to be servant leaders, to serve our people, and that includes helping people feel appreciated and valued.

Let’s make the time these next few weeks to let our people know how appreciative we are for their good work and dedication, and that they are important to us. I feel highly effective leaders have a personal as well as professional interest in their people and their well-being.

Let’s try to walk the halls, with genuine smiles, greeting and thanking our people, wishing them a Happy Thanksgiving and letting them know we care about them. Let’s try to have each person with whom we speak feel better than before.

Let’s remember those located elsewhere. Pick up the phone and say “Thank you.”

If we are not the CEO and have others above us, they too would benefit from our “Thank you’s” and Thanksgiving wishes. Whatever our position, we too are leaders, and a leader helps others feel good about themselves.

Hopefully, this will help create a culture, an attitude of appreciation in all of us all year long.

Our expressing our sincere gratitude is a quality of common sense leadership.

And I wish to thank those who read my short articles during the year. Thank you for your leadership, your commitment to continually learn and grow, and for the gift you are to those around you.

Happy Thanksgiving!